Chinese Taho Girl Jiale Zhang: I like the Philippines, I love Filipinos

Chinese woman Jiale “Carla” Zhang, 23, has apologized for her actions that recently earned the ire of many Filipinos. On February 9, 2019, she was charged with direct assault, disobedience to agent or person in authority and unjust vexation after throwing a cup of taho or soy bean custard drink at a police officer inside the Boni MRT station in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

MRT security officers stopped Zhang at the turnstiles in train station and asked her to consume the taho drink she was carrying before entering. Instead of cooperating, she gave the officers a hard time so PO1 William Cristobal of the Philippine National Police Regional Mobile Force Battalion’s 4th Mobile Company had to intervene.

Cristobal was not able to ask Zhang to obey the law. Worse, she exhibited disrespect by throwing her taho drink to him.

“I was in a bad mood and I was not able to control my emotions,” Zhang told GMA News while behind bars inside the Mandaluyong City police station. “I really admit the mistake I made, and I feel so regretful for it. I’m really, really sorry and I really ask if it’s possible to have another chance for me.”

Originally from Weifangshih, Shandong, China, Zhang has been staying in the Philippines for more than six years. She is currently studying fashion at the SoFA Design Institute in Makati City, Metro Manila and is now dubbed the Taho Girl.

“I really like the Philippines,” the Taho Girl said while forcing tears. “That’s why I stay here. I like the people here. I really love Filipinos. That’s why I stayed here and I like this country.”

Zhang is represented by a lawyer named Sandra Respall, an alumna of Ateneo de Manila University. The lawyer described the incident as a “very minor omission that just went viral” and “a case where someone got emotional over an incident.”